INF/TE/SSD/R/1  
 
15 March 2021  
(21-2092) Page: 1/5 
Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured 
Discussions  
 Original: English  
 
WTO TRADE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STRUCTURED DISCUSSIONS  
MEETING HELD ON 5 MARCH 2021  
Informal s ummary by the Coordinators1 
The first plenary meeting of the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions 
(TESSD) was held on 5 March 2021. The meeting was chaired by the TESSD Coordinators, 
Ambassador Stephen de Boer (Canada) and Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta (Costa Rica) . The 
agenda for the meeting was contained in WTO document INF/TE/SSD/CN /1, circulated  on 
18 February  2021. In keeping with TESSD's open, transparent and inclusive nature, all 
WTO Members had been invited to attend the meeting.  
The WTO Director -General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala , addressed TESSD participants, noting that their 
initiative was i n line with the WTO's founding principle  of sustainable development. She reminded 
participants that , to remain relevant , the WTO needed to deliver results, including by harnessing the 
power of trade to address the threat posed by environmental degradation to future prosperity. She 
highlighted areas where the WTO could do more to support environmental sustainability, including 
trade in environmental goods and services, trade and climate change, sustainable and circular value 
chains, environmentally harmful s ubsidies and inclusiveness, noting that the green transition had to 
be just and fair.  She concluded by encouraging TESSD participants to continue their work and said 
that she would endeavour to be helpful where ver she could.  
1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS FROM THE C OORDINATORS  
1.1.  On behalf of the Coordinators, Ambassador de Boer welcomed participants an d said that calls 
for meaningful action to tackle global environmental sustainability challenges were growing louder 
by the day. It was important that the WTO contribute to  overcoming those challenges . TESSD 
signaled  the intention of WTO Members to act. The WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference  (MC12) , which 
was only eight months away, provided an opportunity to articulate a vision for TESSD work. Th e 
purpose of this  first plenary meeting was to help TESSD define goals and targets for the year. In 
doing so, it was important to s trike a balance between ambition, inclusiveness and the ability to 
deliver outcome s. 
1.2.  On stakeholder participation, Ambassador de Boer said that TESSD would benefit significantly 
from outside expertise to advance its work. He called on WTO Members to be fle xible, pragmatic 
and realistic when defining  criteria  for the participation of stakeholders  in TESSD . Those criteria 
would have to be as inclusive as possible, while ensuring that TESSD could conduct its work 
efficiently and effectively. As discussions pro gressed, different modalities for stakeholder 
participation  would have to be considered , including meetings reserved to WTO Members. It would 
also be important to consider the appropriate mix and representation of stakeholders to ensure that 
TESSD would re ceive targeted and focused inputs. At the same time, s etting the agenda would 
remain the sole prerogative of the TESSD co -sponsors.  
 
1 This summary, prepared and circulated under the Coordinators' responsibility, is being shared with a 
view to providing delegations with a record of the discussions and assisting them in reporting back to their 
capitals. It provides a non -exhaustive, illus trative review of the issues addressed by Members at the meeting.  INF/TE/SSD/R/1  
 
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  2  OVERVIEW OF SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED FROM TESSD CO -SPONSORS ON PRIORITIES 
AND THEMES FOR CONSIDERATION  
2.1.  Ambassador de Boer said t hat written inputs  by co -sponsors on TESSD work spanned a wide 
range of issues. A common thread was the co -sponsors' interest to discuss the liberalization of trade 
in environment al goods and services.  Co-sponsors were also interested in pursuing work on the 
trade-related aspects of climate change adaptation,  fossil fuel subsidy reform  (FFSR) , the circular 
economy , biodiversity loss , and border carbon adjustment measures , among others. Some written 
submissions cover ed the issue of greening Aid for Trade and had also underscored the importance 
of ensuring that TESSD work would be inclusive  and transparent.  
3  EXCHANGE OF VIEWS ON PRIORITIES, TOPICS, AREAS OF INTEREST AND MODALITIES  
3.1.  Ambassador Abraham Peralta  called on participants to provide views on priorities for TESSD 
work, based on the following questions : (i) What initiatives could be considered within TESSD? 
(ii) What was the best and most effective way to approach these initiatives?  (iii) What should be 
TESSD's short -term priorities? (iv) What were possible deliverables for MC12 ? (v) What should be 
the focus of work after MC12?  She also encouraged participants to provide views on the format of 
upcoming meetings.  
3.2.  Participating Members noted that the decision to launch structured discussions on trade and 
environmental sustainability was timely . TESSD offered an opportunity to complement efforts to 
tackle mounting global environmental challenges by effectively addressing trade and environment 
issues . Participating Members discussed the way forward for TESSD, recalling that TESSD had 
undertaken to report on progress to Ministers by MC12. Several Members said that, i n proposing 
deliverables, initiatives , and next steps to Ministers  at MC12 , it would be important to establish 
ambitious, yet realistic , goals, and to develop a clear plan to advance viable proposals.  To this end, 
participating Members needed to : remain  focused, flexible , pragmatic  and inclusive ; build on known  
issues with a clear link to trade  and the WTO ; avoid contentious  topics  and duplication with other  
processes ; ensure complementarity with other work at the WTO  and elsewhere ; and aim for balanced 
outcomes  that consider ed the special needs and conditions of developing countries . Some Members 
noted that WTO Members could demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability by 
concluding a meaningful agreement on fish eries subsidies. One Member  described a proposal for a 
Ministerial Statement to reaffirm WTO Members' commitment and engagement to reach 
environmental sustainability goals through sound fisheries subsidies disciplines.  
3.3.  Participating Members discussed what form specific deliverables for MC12 could take, including 
a ministerial declaration, a joint statement with an annex on intended actions and initiatives, and a 
work programme containing a concise list of short -term prio rities.  One Member suggested that the 
ministerial declaration could  contain : a state -of-play of TESSD discussions ; a set of 
recommendations on trade, environmental sustainability and climate change ; and concrete areas of 
work for the post-MC12 period. Anot her Member said that the proposed ministerial declaration could 
underscore the importance of further mainstreaming environmental sustainability in WTO work . 
3.4.  Participating Members broadly supported starting discussion s in TESSD on liberalizing trade in 
environmental goods.  Several  Members noted that TESSD work could use as a reference  and build 
upon relevant work, including the Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) ; the APEC list of 
environmental goods ; the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability  (ACCTS) ; 
regional trade agreements ; and national initiatives. Several Members highlighted the need to enlarge 
the group of participants , especially from developing countries,  in environmental goods discussions 
to reach critical mass.  
3.5.  Several Members  provided  views on  the possible scope of work on environmental goods . Some 
suggested that discussions should focus exclusively on goods that contribute to carbon neutrality, 
while others said that TESSD should consider a broad range of goods with an  identifiable 
environmental end use across a range of sectors and industries. One Member proposed a two -stage 
approach focused initially on goods related to climate and sustainability , and subsequently on other 
environmental goods. Another Member said that  the discussions should cover environmentally 
preferable products of interest to developing countries. One Member  suggested  that work on 
environmental goods should comprise both tariff liberalization and discussions on non -tariff barriers INF/TE/SSD/R/1  
 
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  to improve transp arency and avoid that new technical regulations and standards would result in 
trade barriers.  
3.6.  Several Members highlighted the important role of environmental services in supporting efforts 
to advance climate and other environmental priorities  and said that  they supported work on 
environmental service s within TESSD . Some Members noted that it is necessary to adopt a strategic 
approach that would avoid  duplication with the work of the Special Session of the Council for Trade 
in Services (CTS -SS) and ensur e complementarity between the work in TESSD and the CTS-SS. 
Some Members proposed that TESSD work build on the discussions in the CTS -SS and elsewhere, 
including the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA). One Member said  that it was premature to decide 
on which forum was the most appropriate for environmental services negotiations . 
3.7.  Several proposals were made on the way forward on environmental goods and services,  
including to : conduct a stock -taking exercise to improve understanding of progress made  and 
remaining challenges; define common goals and  a coherent narrative on the benefits of trade 
liberalization  of environmental goods and services ; and explore the possibility of defining negotiating 
parameters with a view to starting negotiations after M C12. 
3.8.  Several Members expressed interest in discussing additional trade and environment topics  
within TESSD . Among the topics mentioned w ere strengthening the sustainability of supply chains, 
encouraging a more circular econom y and supporting the green energy transition. It was suggested 
that this work could include exchanges on best practices  on sustainable production and consumption 
in fores t products and agricultural commodities , along with discussions on how the global trading 
system could support the circular economy and complement global efforts to tackle plastics pollution. 
Several Members also noted that TESSD could serve as a useful pl atform to exchange information 
and experiences on environmentally harmful subsidies, and to discuss issues related to FFSR, based 
on the Ministerial Statement on FFSR adopted at MC11  and a  Member's written proposal for FFSR  
work towards MC12, including inf ormation sharing, case studies and discussion on a proposed 
Ministerial Statement . Other topics of interest included: promoting sustainable use of natural 
resources  and trade in sustainably -sourced fish and other products of interest to developing 
countrie s, climate change adaptation and natural disasters, energy efficiency, public -private 
partnerships and "greening" Aid for Trade.  
3.9.  Several Members said that exchanging views on the trade -related aspects of environmental 
measures, including border carbon adjustments , should  be an important part of TESSD work, given 
the need for improved transparency and understanding of the rising number of trade-related 
environmental measures adopted or planned in response to mounting environmental challenges.  
3.10.  On the way forward, some Members noted that it would be important not to overload TESSD's 
agenda with too many topics and to reflect on possible ways to organize, bundle and sequence  the 
many topics that had been identified . It was also noted that discussions should focus on the trade 
dimension of environmental sustainability and be conducive to operational results at MC12. It was 
suggested to designate co -leads on specific topics to advance this work.  
3.11.  Participating Members underscored the open, inclusive and t ransparent nature of TESSD and 
reiterated their intention to continue their efforts to garner widespread support and participation  
among WTO Members . Several Members highlighted the importance of ensuring that TESSD work 
reflect the special  needs and condi tions of developing countries and the challenges they faced in the 
pursuit of sustainable development . To foster inclusiveness, participating Members proposed to set 
realistic and pragmatic goals, adopt step -by-step approaches , ensur e that development 
considerations would be reflected across the board , and support technical assistance and capacity 
building in developing countries . Several Members said that they would welcome additional inputs 
from developing countries on their prioriti es for TESSD work.  
3.12.  Participating Members recognized the importance of an open, transparent , flexible, 
manageable and pragmatic  format to conduct TESSD meetings and the dialogue with stakeholders . 
They called for TESSD to engage with a broad range of stakeh olders from international organizations, 
the private sector, academia  and civil society. In considering how to expand the participation of 
outside stakeholders, it was noted that TESSD co -sponsors would need to balance the benefits of 
additional expertise and perspectives against the potential drawback of an overly large group of 
participants , which could constrain the discussion or present logistical challenges . One Member INF/TE/SSD/R/1  
 
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  suggested that the co -sponsors conduct an evaluation of stakeholder participation af ter the first 
plenary meeting and  discuss the best way to identify additional external stakeholders for future 
meetings based on expressions of interest, suggestions from Members  and specific criteria.  Several 
Members proposed to hold dedicated outreach events with stakeholders or to invite stakeholders on 
an ad hoc  basis, depending on TESSD's need for expertise  in a specific topic . 
4  STAKEHOLDER VIEWS AND PERSPECTIVES  
4.1.  Stakeholders broadly welcomed the la unch of TESSD , its open and inclusive nature,  and the 
opportunity to participate in its first meeting. TESSD was a sign of the willingness of WTO Members 
to react to global challenges  by improving coherence between trade, environment and development 
policies. 
4.2.  Stakeholders highlighted specific projects , programmes and reports that they considered 
relevant to TESSD work  and provided views on possible areas of work for TESSD , including: the use 
trade policy to advance climate change mitigation and adaptation, including through trade 
liberalization of environmental goods and services;  FFSR; biodiversity , sustainable supply chains and 
voluntary sustainability standards; policy alignment between trade and the circular economy , 
including through improved transparency and market access  for circular products ; plastics pollution;  
and the role of digital technologies in the green transition.  
4.3.  Several stakeholders underscored the importance that trade and environment policy 
approaches reflect the needs and conce rns of developing countries, which faced significant 
challenges to transform and diversify their economies, compete in global markets for sustainable 
products, and increase their participation in sustainable value chains.  To this end, stakeholder s 
suggeste d that TESSD consider Aid for Trade and access to trade finance from a n environmental  
sustainability perspective  and support efforts by developing countries to overcome obstacles to 
access environmentally sound technologies.  Several stakeholder s called on WTO Members to bring 
the fisheries subsidies negotiations to a successful conclusion as soon as possible.  
5  DISCUSSION OF NEXT STEPS  
5.1.  Ambassador Abraham Peralta noted that th e discussion had been very productive and had 
resulted in many proposals for TESSD work. She said that , based on inputs provided by Members , 
the Coordinators would develop a draft action plan  towards MC12, which would be circulated to 
WTO Members in due course, along w ith an informal summary of the meeting. She reminded 
participants to consult the TESSD web portal  for updates. The next plenary meeting was scheduled 
for 27 and 28 May 2021. The agend a for the meeting would be circulated in advance of the meeting.  
6  OTHER BUSINESS  
6.1.  It was suggested to develop a contact list of TESSD  participants  to facilitate future 
communication.  
7  CLOSING REMARKS  
7.1.  Ambassador Abraham Peralta said that the meeting had result ed in a wealth of information on 
topics for consideration in TESSD. She highlighted  that: 
a. Trade liberalization of environmental goods and services had attracted the most interest 
among participating  Members and should be incorporated into TESSD's action plan; t he 
discussions had highlighted the need to avoid duplication with efforts on environmental 
services in the C TS-SS. 
b. Participating Members had reaffirmed their interest in discussing the following topics: 
circular economy ; plastics pollution; sustainable value chains; and greening Aid for Trade, 
among other s. 
c. TESSD participants welcomed the views of developing Mem bers, including their interest in 
discussing the impacts of climate change on their economies.  INF/TE/SSD/R/1  
 
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  d. Participating Members had called for flexibility in the format of upcoming meetings , 
including to allow for Members -only meetings; Members recognized that stakeh olders 
could enrich TESSD discussions  and reiterated their willingness to engage with them.  
e. Members were pleased to hear about the willingness and interest from stakeholders to 
support TESSD work. 
7.2.  She reiterated the Coordinators' commitment to consider the  interests and concerns of all 
Members to ensure that TESSD  work would be inclusive, transparent, agile, efficient and effective.  
 
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